Water Quality and What It Means to the Consumer
Water quality is a broad term used to describe contamination of water from the standpoint of how it relates to the environment and how it may affect human health via consumption. Environmental or ambient water quality relates to water bodies such as lakes, rivers, and streams, and may vary significantly with environmental conditions, different ecosystems, and how it is to be used. The category of human consumption is generally directed at tap water, or water used in general for our homes.
Under the category of environmental water quality, many factors come into play. For example, toxic chemicals and microorganisms can cause a health issue for uses such as swimming, boating, fishing, livestock, industry, and wildlife. Environmental laws now in place are primarily concerned with the designation of particular uses. Sampling water even with a standard can vary from location to location, changes in sampling techniques and storage, microorganisms within the samples, as well as many other factors. The method of analysis can also alter test results. The complexity of testing needed to maintain accurate results can also be cost prohibitive.
In most cases the use of environmental indicators are used to give a broad perspective on environmental water quality. The three types of assessment are chemical, physical, and biological. Chemical assessment includes dissolved oxygen, chemical oxygen demand, biochemical oxygen demand, and the presence of nitrates, orthophosphates, pesticides, and metals. Physical assessment includes pH, temperature, turbidity, total suspended solids, and total dissolved solids. Biological assessment involves looking at insect flora present which is an indicator water quality. For example, the more Mayflies, Stoneflies, and Caddisflies present, the better the water quality.
Under the category of human consumption, more specific parameters are taken into consideration. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for setting standards for contaminants in tap water. Under the Safe Drinking Water Act the EPA issues two types of standards. Primary standards regulate substances that may affect human health, while secondary standards relate to aesthetic qualities such as taste, odor, or appearance. Bottled water must meet the same requirements for the protection of public health and is regulated by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It is accepted that tap water and bottled water may contain small quantities of some contaminants without being deemed a health risk.
As with environmental water, the assessment of water used for human consumption uses indicators as well. Here is a list of the most common indicators of the quality of water coming from your tap or in bottled water; alkalinity, pH, heavy metals, radon, dissolved metals, dissolved salts, dissolved organics, pharmaceuticals, hormones, and chemicals that have hormone-like effects.
The quality of water for domestic uses has become a major concern in that last few decades due to increased public awareness of the number of potential contaminants reaching us in our homes. Water at the tap is used for drinking, cooking, cleaning, washing, brushing teeth, and watering gardens. All these uses lend themselves to potentially adversely affecting human health, depending on chemicals or microorganisms present. There are a lot of facts that people don't know, such as how much bacteria is in most water supplies and what types of chemicals are added to water in the interest of public health. Or, exactly what types of chemicals are present that conventional treatment methods fail to eliminate.
So the question is whether to filter water in your home or not. Here are a few reasons you may want to consider filtering water you drink, cook with, or bathe in.
- Tap water is deemed safe to drink when pollutants are below a certain level. For example, e-coli found in raw sewage may be present in low enough concentrations to deem water safe, while still containing these coliforms. This water is allowed to be piped into millions of homes.
- Chlorine, which is also harmful to humans, is added to water to eliminate any residual bacteria. Chlorine, which is a free radical and can cause tissue damage, can be absorbed internally or externally through the skin.
- Even when water is clean leaving the treatment facility; it still must be piped through miles of potentially contaminated plumbing.
Please consider the large number of unknowns about the quality of water coming into your home. Realize that simple and inexpensive filtration of the water you drink, cook with, and bathe in will eliminate potential health risks as well as give you peace of mind your family deserves. There are many types of filters with varying qualities and prices available locally as well as on the internet. Being proactive and doing some research today may lead to a longer, healthier life.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jamie_N_Marvel
